Chapter 0094 Hyacinth seemed to grasp the weight of my words as her gaze bore into mine, searching for any hint of mercy. After a long, tense moment, she blinked heavily and finally looked away. âIâll write up an apology,â she said, her voice barely above a whisper, before turning and rushing off in the same direction Gretchen had gone.
As I watched her retreating figure, a rush of adrenaline coursed through me. Two down, one to go. I wouldnât let Davidâs puppets ruin Alexanderâs life without a fight.
âUnbelievable,â Miranda spat, her voice shaking with anger. âI canât believe people would actually lie about this.â âNeither can 1,â
Nadia echoed, her gaze shifting to Cassandra, filled with indignation.
Cassandra stood defiantly in front of me, her glare unwavering âYou donât frighten me,â she shot back, her bravado untouched.
1 smiled, leaning slightly toward her, letting my confidence wash over the tension. âI should,â I said, my voice low and steady.
âYou have no idea what Iâve been through because of David Lake. This is your only chance to take responsibility for your lies and remove yourself from this situation. If we meet again under similar circumstances, Iâll show you no mercy.
A strange thrill coursed through me as I spoke those words. They felt foreign, yet undeniably true. David had created this part of me and now he would have to face the consequences.
I wasnât entirely sure where my limits lay anymore, but I knew that the fury I felt toward David and what he had done to my family had unlocked a strength I never knew I possessed.
The air was heavy with tension as Cassandraâs defiance wavered. For the first time, I saw uncertainty flicker in her eyes.
Without a word, Cassandra turned and rushed away from me. I watched her go, irritation simmering beneath the surface. I knew Iâd have to deal with her again, but for now I had more pressing matters to confront. I shifted my focus back to Nadia and Miranda.
âAre you satisfied?â I demanded, planting my hands on my hips. âDo you still believe Alexander is the dangerous bully you painted him to be?â
They exchanged tense glances, a flicker of uncertainty passing between them. I could see the doubt creeping into their expressions, but they were struggling against it.
Finally, Nadia looked at me, her expression heavy with defeat. âNo.â
âThen you must do the right thing,â I urged, my voice sharp with urgency. âDenounce the lies theyâre spreading! Alexander doesnât deserve to be maligned like this.â
âWhat I told you is all true,â Miranda said, her voice wavering âBut... Iâve never seen the side of Alexander they described.â
âSo do the right thing,â I pressed, feeling the stakes rise. âYouâve seen the truth today; donât let their deceit pull you under.â
Miranda and Nadia exchanged a long, tense look, their silent conversation crackling with unspoken doubts. âWeâll think about it,â
Nadia muttered finally. Then, without another word, the two of them turned and walked away, their footsteps echoing in the heavy silence behind them.
âAre you all right, Miss Rowan?â James asked as I turned to him. There was concern etched across his features.
âYes,â I replied, forcing a smile to mask the turmoil within âIâm just fine.â
+25 BONUS Chapter 0094 His brow furrowed, skepticism flickering in his eyes, and knew he could sense the storm brewing beneath my calm mask.
The truth was, I had no idea what motivated these women Did David merely pay them off, or did he offer something far more insidious?
What I did know was that their lies would not hold. I could only hope that my words had pierced through Nadia and Mirandaâs defenses, igniting a spark of courage to stand against the manipulation they had unwittingly become part of.
But as I watched them disappear into the crowd, a knot of anxiety twisted in my gut. The battle wasnât over; it was only just beginning.
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